Tire valve stem protector



y 1953 J, w. NELSON ET AL 2,638,956

TIRE VALVE STEM PROTECTOR Filed Feb. 3, 1950 I c/a/m M A/e/so n i a d(Joel D. Ale/son WVWM I '''rim; to provide a capmountirig -which may-Joe "-s' pn'e'aro the "wheel rim m serro'unain to the tire stemWitho'iit removing the the rim; =tpr'ovide a tire"protector incliiding acap' whereby removal" of the cap ex oses "theop- 'frative portions of"the "tire stm'for ifil ti beviith'liqnid and/trim a i gen-v "servieirig"of" s'aidtire; 'ahdt'o provide asflnpie,

Patented May 19,1953

UNITED STATES neemve fizfi eoeeemn John W. Nelson an'a soei B.Neisonjlndepehdende,

Kane, assignorsof one-third'to fl'ackW. Ashcraft I Application Febriiiry3, it's o,*"s-el=eil ivo. 1423114 1 claim. (01. 152-428) This inventionrelates to protectors fo'r'the valve 'st etfis'of pneumatic'tires andthelike' 186C1- on vehicles such as tractors, and more particu- "larlyto a device adapted to be secured to "a tire rim topreve'nt foreignobjects from' striking the conventional tire 'va1vestem;

Iti's customary to use large prieuma-tictraction tires tn the rearwheels of vehicle's-'s'u'ch as tractors'a nd to partially fill the innertubesof said "tiresvzithv'vater or asoliitionbf water andiantifre'e'ze'composition, thereby reducing the "volume "of air required for proper"inflation pressure. In coriventibnal structures the valve stem merelyextends through an aperture in the rim o'f the 'wheelahd in operation ofthe vehicle, branches, weeds, sticks and the like frequently are "struckand 'pushed't'o one side by the forward portion'of the Wheels. As saidforw'ardporticinbf the wheel p asses the branch L or the like it snapsback-j strikihg the spokes or other -'portions of the wheels.

Many times the tire 'valve stem is sopositioned that-saidsticks,branches or the like snap'back .and'striiie the portion ofthe'ti-re-valve ste'mfiextending from the aperture in the rim and 'breakthe ends off'of the stem or damage the valve,

and in'sorne instances pull the stem fromthe tube. Whentliis happens,the waterand/orsolu- -tion in the tire runout of the ,tube and'th-e{tire becomes fiat. Due to the'size' of'the tire andJ-the fact that suchdamages usually'h'a-ppen out -in'the field away from places whererepairs'can-beobv tained,it-isusually necessary to remove-the'whe'elfrom the tractor, load it on atruck and take it into anearby'cityWh'ereth'e tirecan be removed and-a new-stenrpl'aced in'the tube.

repair is quite expensive and causesloss otuse of the tractor ioralongperiod during the timethat it isalmost essential that itremaininoperation to perform farming opera-tions'asadverse-weather maylimit the time available-for same.

The objects of the present invention are 'to provide a pneumatic tirevalve stem protector "adapted to be rigidlyseoured to 'the rim of thewheel to prevent foreign bodies-from contacting the tire stem;'toiprovi'de'a'cap for entirely en- I closing the tire valve stein of avehicle "with means for rigidly mounting-said capon the wheel ling" theAlso this efii'cient, rigid the "protector "and mounting 'on a "tirerimfsaid protector being econdmiaitomaw tifactureyeasy to apply to theconventional wheel rim, and capable of 'providingipositive protection ofthe valve'stem from foreignobjects ahd'the i-i'ke 'to ohviate anypossibili'ty of damage to'seiid stem or valve striieture, said stembeing freely movable in theipro'tector and mounting so as not tointerfere "with conventional "servicing and use of the tire and tube.

'-I'n-'accomplishin'g these and other-objects cfthe present invention,we "have provided improved nplitierrule or --bushing.

I Reierring-more'in detaiL-to the drawings:

I designates a pneumatic tire mountedpn-a wheel riml of awheelIi-of avehicle l suchms a tractor or thie -like. -I=o :8-ed-inside of thetireis --an-'inner tribe Shaving a conventional valve stem 6 extending;'-through an aperture in the wheel rim 2, In the structure-- illustratedthe tiretiabe and'ri-rmareof conventionalstructurethe aperture I; beinglocated in'the'wheel rim in'suc h a -manner that the conventional stemEmail efitend therethrough.

The stem '6 in tractor; tires and the like hasa rubber body 8,- suitably-molded-or vulcanized'to the tube ithGi-IDOGY 8 having a centralpassage 3 therein providing communication \viththe in- -terior of thetube. Thee ndof the bo'dy tie-pro- 'vided with-" a metal member 40havingiin'ternal threads ior mounting-a valve assembly i l a cap l2being shown'as applied to the valve assembly to'close-the openingtherein. The-member it is provided witheXternal-threads adapted-toreceive a' fitting ii-56d" in conventional :practice for partiallyfilling the tire with liqui'd such as water afid/orantifreeze: solution.This operation is. perlffffid W-ith the valve ass'embiy i l rmbvd fiemhe rem. *Aft'rpartiaiiynning tnewhen vvith 'li uid, "the "valve assemblu screwed ante the member l and air applied to complete the inflation ofthe tire. After inflation, the cap !2 is normall applied to the valveassembly to serve as a dust cap therefor. Frequently the size of theaperture 1 is such that it closely engages the sides of the body 8, andin operation of such conventional structure, sticks, branches and thelike moved by the tire or wheel in'progress of the vehicle will snapagainst the valve stem' 6, damaging the valve assembly and in someinstances pulling the valve stem from the tube.

A protector assembly 13 consisting of a ferrule or bushin l4 suitablysecured to the rim as by a fastening device or nut I5, and cap it areapplied in such a manner as to be rigid with the rim 2 and enclose thevalve stem 6 to protect same from contact with foreign obects. Theferrule H as illustrated has an externally threaded shank I! providedwith a coaxial bore [8 which is a sliding fit on the valve body member8. In instances where the aperture 1 in the standard rim closely engagesthe body member 8, said aperture may be reamed or otherwise formedwhereby the threaded shank I1 is a loose fit therein. The ferrule I4 isprovided on one end with an annular flange l9 adapted to engage theinner surface of the rim 2 whereby said flange is located between therim and the tube 5, with the threaded shank l1 extending outwardlythrough the aperture 1.

The fastening device or nut I5 preferably consists of an externallythreaded shank 2| having an axial internally threaded bore 22 and isprovided with an annular flange 23 at one end thereof. The flange 23 ispreferably flattened as at 22 adaptin same to be engaged by a wrench orother member for facilitating the turning of the fastening device. Thefastening device I5 is arranged with the flange 23 adjacent the rim 2and the threaded bore threaded onto the threaded shank ll of the ferrulel4 whereby the flange 23 engages the external surface 25 of the rim 2surrounding the aperture I and threading of the fastening device l5 ontothe shank l1 draws the flange l9 into engagement with the rim to rigidlysecure the ferrule and fastening device to said rim and provide anassembly through which the stem 6 may project in the same manner as itwould extend through the aperture 7 in a conventional rim.

The cap I6 is preferably a tubular shell having a closed end 26 and anopen end 21, there being internal threads 28 adjacent the open end 2'!of such size that the cap may be threaded onto the externally threadedshank 2| of the fastening device l5. The cap is of such length that theclosed end 26 is spaced from the cap l2 of the valve stem 6 and thewalls of the cap are also spaced from the valve stem as illustrated inFig. 2, whereby the valve stem is completely enclosed but the onlycontact between the valve stem and the protector assembly is with thebore l8 of the ferrule I4.

The ferrule as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 is particularly adapted foruse when the wheel is in a place of repair and the tire and tube removedfrom the rim providing access to the interior surface 20 of said rim. Ininstances where the protector is to be assembled to the rim with thetire and tube thereon as, for example, in a field and without removingthe liquid from the tube, a split ferrule 29 is used in place of theferrule Id. The ferrule 29 is substantially the same size and structureas the ferrule l4 except that it is split longitudinally on a diameterto provide halves 30 and 35, each having flanges 32 at one end which areflattened on each side, as at 33, whereby said flanged end may beinserted through an aperture 34 in the rim 2 and the flange 32 engagedwith the interior surface 20 of said rim. When applied to the rim asillustrated in Fig. 4, the split ferrule 29 has a bore 35 through whichthe stem 6 extends, engagement of the stem with the bore holding theferrule halves 3t and 3E in engagement with the bore 34. The flanges 32engage the rim and the threaded shank portions 36 of the split ferruleextend from the rim for mounting of the fastening device IS. The cap 16is mounted on the fastening device E5 in the same manner as when usedwith the ferrule M. In either structure it is unnecessary to remove theferrule or fastening device l5 for any servicing of the tire and tube.

In using a device constructed as described and assembled on a wheel rim,the tire and tube are mounted on the rim as in conventional practicewith the stem 5 extending through the bore l8 of the ferrule 14. Thetube is inflated as in conventional practice and the cap it applied bythreading same onto the threaded shank 2| of the fastening device M. Inoperation of the vehicle, such as a tractor, movement of the vehicle maycause the wheels to push branches, sticks or the like out of the way andthen as the branches or sticks snap back to their original position,they may strike the cap i5. Even though such blows are very hard, theentire impact will be taken by the cap 16 and any bending actionresulting from the blow will be taken up by the rigid connection of thecap with the fastening device and the rigid mounting of the ferrule andfastening device on the wheel rim whereby all of the stress is appliedto the protector and the rim and not to the stem 6. The rigid mountingof the protector makes it impossible for any obstruction to even bendthe stem, let alone damage same.

When it is desired to check the pressure and inflate or deflate the tube5, the cap it is removed from the threaded shank 2i exposing all of theoperative portions of the valve stem and valve assembly, whereby theconventional servicing operations may be performed. Also the tire andtube may be removed without removing the ferrules I4 or fastening deviceI5. When any servicing is completed and the stem 6 extending through thebore K8, the cap it may be reapplied to the fastening device bythreading said cap onto the shank 2|.

It is believed obvious that we have provided a tire valve stem protectorwhich is economical to manufacture and efficient in use to protect thevalve stem from damage by foreign objects and. yet not interfere withconventional servicing operations on the tire and tube.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A valve stem protector for enclosing a portion of a valvesteinprojecting through an aperture in a rim mounting a pneumatic tire andinner tube for a vehicle wheel for shielding said valve stem fromphysical damage due to impact by foreign objects comprising, a ferrulehaving a threaded shank adapted to extend through the aperture in therim, said ferrule having an axial bore for sleeving the ferrule on thevalve stem, said ferrule being split substantially on a diameter to formtwo pieces whereby said ferrule may be inserted in the aperture of therim with the tire mounted thereon, flanges on each of the face of therim surrounding the aperture, a fastening device threadedly mounted onthe threaded ferrule shank for rigidly securing the ferrule to the rim,a hollow cap having one end open for enclosing the projecting portion ofthe valve stem, and means for removably securing the hollow cap relativeto the ferrule with the walls of the cap spaced from the valve stem toform a rigid housing for said valve stem whereby the force from anyimpact on the cap is all transmitted to the ferrule and rim and not tothe valve stem which is movable through the ferrule independently of theprotector.

JOHN W. NELSON.

JOEL B. NELSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

